A History of the Mahrattas v1.c13.40

v1.c13.40

rains, and was almost invariably successful. Sivajee’s fleet had also succeeded in making considerable captures. Amongst others, they took some Moghul ships bound to Mocha, and exacted ransoms from all the rich pilgrims proceeding to the shrine of their prophet. In the month of August Sivajee in person surprised and plundered the Pettah of Ahmednugur, and carried his depredations to the vicinity of Aurungabad. During his absence, the Beejapoor army, stationed at Panalla under the command of two generals, broke the truce, made a vigorous effort for the recovery of the Concan, and had retaken several places; when Sivajee, who, as the English records of the period observe, seemed to be everywhere and prepared for every emergency, appeared in the field at the head of a large force, with which he gave them battle, and defeated them with great slaughter.¹ Vingorla, the inhabitants of which seem to have risen on his garrison, Sivajee burnt to the ground, and hastened back to Singurh to watch the motions of the Moghuls, from whom he apprehended an attack, as they had sent a strong reinforcement to a camp formed at Joonere. But having discovered that they did not intend to act on the offensive, he sent off a part of his horse to plunder in the Beejapoor territory south of the Kistna, and immediately devised a new enterprise. Preparatory to its execution, he caused it to be believed that he had a design of surprising the Moghul camp.